CND Press Digest: Thursday 12th September 2024

Nukes in Britain

• UK Defence Journal: The Royal Navy is exploring the use of nuclear power for its surface ships, with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) issuing a Request for Information (RFI) seeking insights from the defence industry. The RFI signals the Royal Navy’s interest in understanding how Generation 4 nuclear reactors might be integrated into its fleet. The MOD has emphasised that this RFI is not a tender but a way to gather information from industry leaders. The request is being conducted in line with the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy (DSIS), which seeks to foster productive relationships with defence and security industries.

Global Nukes

• National Catholic Reporter: New Mexico forum highlights Catholic views on nuclear disarmament, deterrence.
• Reuters: Russia should clearly state its willingness to use nuclear weaponsagainst countries that “support NATO aggression in Ukraine”, according to an influential foreign policy hawk who is pressing President Vladimir Putin to adopt a more assertive nuclear posture towards the West. Sergei Karaganov told Kommersant newspaper in an interview that Moscow could launch a limited nuclear strike on a NATO country without triggering all-out nuclear war.

Uranium

• Financial Times: Vladimir Putin hints at curbing uranium exports. Vladimir Putin has called on Russian officials to consider restrictions on exports of commodities including uranium, in retaliation against fresh western sanctions against Moscow and its allies. Any curb on sales of enriched uranium could affect western nuclear reactors. Many of them have long-term contracts for supplies from Russia, which accounts for about a third of the world’s uranium enriching capacity, and about 5 per cent of uranium mining.

UK Nuclear Power

• ITV, BBC, and the West Somerset Free Press report on decision to scrap a plan to build salt marshes near the Hinkley Point C nuclear plant.
• Nation Cymru: Union leaders have raised “significant concerns” with the UK government about its policy on nuclear energy. In a letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the general secretaries of the GMB union and Prospect said new nuclear development has a key role to play in achieving net zero, underpinning a green industrial strategy and providing good, clean jobs in communities that most need them. Gary Smith (GMB) and Mike Clancy (Prospect) called on the Chancellor to guarantee the resources the nuclear industry needs to thrive.
• Nuclear Industry Association: Record 87,000 UK nuclear jobs – up 60% in a decade,driven by major new projects. Hinkley Point C helps triple South West nuclear workforce – soon to be replicated at Sizewell C. Decisions on future projects – including GW project at Wylfa – urgently required to drive growth.

Fukushima

• The Mirror: A British urban explorer was confronted by Japanese police while filming at the site of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Kyle Urbex, who regularly visits historic sites and abandoned places to document our past, shot there, an old people’s home abandoned with residents’ dentures still in cups, a school left empty with children’s’ school bags holding their places at their desks and even vending machines in the area with cans of pop waiting to be bought.

Nuclear Power

• Bloomberg: South Korea approved the construction of two nuclear reactors on the nation’s east coast, reviving a project that was scrapped by the former administration, which had pursued an anti-nuclear policy.

NATO / Europe

• Internationale Politik Quarterly: Germany in the third nuclear age. The German government can no longer rely on the existence of a functional arms control system. But a lack of public debate is hampering Berlin’s ability to strategize. This has got to change.
• The Telegraph View: NATO needs to unite in support of Ukraine. Kyiv wants to take the fight fully to Russia and needs our backing to do so.
• The Times: Expanding BRICS alliance should worry NATO. Russian and Chinese-led axis is cornering the rare metals crucial for next-generation weapons.
• Bloomberg UK: Risk of a direct NATO-Russia clash is growing.

Middle East

• FCO: France, Germany and the UK (E3) gave a joint statement to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors on Iran’s implementation of its nuclear commitments under the JCPoA. Once again, the IAEA reports the continued expansion of Iran’s nuclear activities, in increasing violation of its JCPoA commitments. The Agency recalls once again that it is not able to ensure Iran’s nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful, and highlights that Iran is the only state without nuclear weapons to undertake production and accumulation of high enriched uranium.
• Real Clear Defense: What will Trump or Harris do if Iran goes nuclear?

AUKUS/ Indo-Pacific

• Voice of America: Threats from China, Russia and North Korea have fueled debate in Washington about whether the United States should consider redeploying tactical nuclear weapons to the Indo-Pacific region, with leading U.S. Senate members expressing opposing views.
• The Guardian: (Aussie) Labor claims AUKUS nuclear waste dumping issue just a Greens scare campaign.

Best,

Pádraig McCarrick

Press and Communications Officer

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament